


Impalas, Love and Coffee (On the side)

by Gothams_Only_Wolf



Series: Coffee's an Aphrodisiac [1]
Category: Avengers (Comics), Captain America, Captain America (Comics), Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Comic), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012), The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Powers, BAMF Phil Coulson, Cute Phil, F/M, Insecure Phil, M/M, Multi, Not what you think, Phil Coulson's Cellist, What Was I Thinking?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-30
Updated: 2013-05-30
Packaged: 2017-12-13 11:52:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/824002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gothams_Only_Wolf/pseuds/Gothams_Only_Wolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Capsicoul Modern AU. No powers to be seen save the X-Men and Gambit. Steve's the sensitive art student with the body of a football star. Phil's never going have a chance; or is he? Rain and an origami umbrella change everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Impalas, Love and Coffee (On the side)

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, definitely blaming this one on Sherlobster. She insisted on sassy Phil after I got the initial idea from a song she made me listen to on YouTube. Ontsofa is a really good channel for obscure artists and she finds these random songs that spark a lot of my stuff. *coughs* Anywho, leave me whatever. Gimme your honest opinion people! These aren't even Beta-d and I'd kill for a good one... I'm not even joking. I need someone to bounce ideas off of when they strike.

* * *

Phil's never been impulsive. It's just the way he is and there's not much that can change his practicality. Well, unless you wanted to count Steve Rogers. Impulsive was the word of the day when Steve even came within two feet of him. Clint and Tasha liked to poke fun but he's absolutely, head-over-heels, every cliché ever in love with this guy. He can't help it. 

"Phil? You're zoning out again." Tasha had him in a sleeper hold on the mat. Phil wound his arm around her waist and dug his fingers into her solar-plexus with extra venom today. She yelped sharply as he bucked her off before pinned her with an arm bar that made her shoulder creak dangerously. "Ouch! Take it easy..." 

"Zoning out, was I?" he huffed as he held it with ease. "Now what?" She grunts a little as he presses further down. 

"Get off. I'm tapping out." Tasha growls out as he tightens his hold. 

"Will do." he grins as he releases his best friend. "You alright?" 

"I'm fine, zapravila*." He laughs at the re-appearance of his childhood nickname. "You, on the other hand; is he just an infatuation?" 

"Tasha..." Phil warned, crossing his arms as sweat dripped down his temple and his chest. "Leave it be. Since when am I ever gonna meet him in person?" 

"Clint and I are friends with the guy." He shrugged as he wiped away the evidence of exertion before what she said caught up with him. 

"What have you told him?" 

"Clint's been going on and on about you."

"Anything bad?" He was prepared for just about everything, considering Clint was a sneaky shit when he wanted to be. 

"No..." Oh, he should have paid more attention to her tone but they say hindsight is 20/20.  

* * *

Phil' eyes are half-lidded as he plays his composition, getting lost in the sweeping crescendo, his fingers flying across the ivories as he plays from memory. Then he smiles as he launches into the final bit only to realize it sounds wrong to him. Damned fingers forgot where to press. He scowls at the keys as his fingers play the notes he doesn't want. Scooting away from the piano, he gathers his sheet music as he prepares to leave. 

While locking up the music room with his own key (Ms. Monroe trusted he would be responsible), Phil adjusted his satchel before looking out the window. Rain was pouring down, soaking everything it touched. He cursed softly for forgetting his umbrella at Clint's loft before digging around in his bag. All he found were I.O.U. notes from Clint & Tasha, his StarkPhone and a week-old newspaper. It'd have to do he thought to himself as he unfurled the stiff pages and made a pseudo-umbrella with his hidden origami skills (thank God for boredom). Stepping out into the slick parking lot, he spotted Steve as the poor guy shivered in his soaked t-shirt and jeans. Not that it wasn't a damn fine sight (it most certainly was) but Steve's lips looked better pink than blue. Phil took a deep breath, steeling himself, and walked over to his crush to offer his paper umbrella, getting wet in the process himself. Fabulous. 

"Here." he looked up and saw startled blue eyes widen at the surprisingly sturdy umbrella. 

"T-Thanks. M'Steve." Phil bit his tongue to keep from replying, 'I know, you're damn gorgeous.' 

"Phil. I live about five minutes from campus. Wanna dry off?" the words were blurted out impulsively and his inner practicality cringed at the way he sounded. 

"C-Can I?" 

"You'll be getting hypothermia if you don't." he says dryly as he offers his elbow to a surprised Steve. "We're already wet. No need to make it worse." Neither of them realized that moment would change the rest of their lives. 

Discarding the former origami umbrella mush in the trash, he ushered Steve to sit on his couch, snagging a few towels from the cabinet.   
"Which one?" he asked, offering the towels before he realized these were his Gambit and X-Men ones and that he must look like a total _nerd_. Great, grand. One face-palm please? 

"Gambit if you don't mind." Steve answered with a smile. Damn, why did Phil have to love that ridiculously sweet, all-American smile so much? Oh, what could those pearly whites do to him? No. No, bad Phil. That's for later... He told his monologue to shut up as Steve toweled off his hair. "So, umm, comics?" 

"You think I'm a nerd." Phil snarked, pulling up his defenses and squaring his shoulders even though he was in his lounge clothes. 

"Hey, I like Gambit. Doesn't everyone?" Steve tilted his head to the side, wrinkling his nose as water came out of his ear. Why was that adorable even when it was slightly gross? "Oh. You thought I was one of those-No, no. I'm specializing in comics myself." 

"You draw comics?" Phil's whole defense went crumbling. Geez, was there anything that didn't appeal to him? Actually... Wait, don't answer that. 

"Yeah." 

"I, uh, I play-"

"Piano?" 

Phil almost choked on his own spit as he ran to his kitchenette,"How'd you know?"   
"Clint told me." Oh, Clint was so _**dead**_. Phil knew his best friends had other friends but that was a bit much. "Said you were some kind of genius when it came to down to it."

"Since we have mutual friends, mind if we share take-out?" Wonderful timing, Phil, just beautiful; got anything else to add on to the awkward? He didn't need to flirt. He could seduce the unsuspecting Steve with his awkwardness. 

Steve's stomach made a loud gurgle that had Phil supressing a smile. "Definitely up for it. What've you got?" He poked around in his fridge before coming up with three bento boxes, some Chinese and some left-over Thai. The depths of his fridge leftovers are truly astounding, he knows. "Ooo, variety." 

"Pad Thai, dumplings, mu shu and the sushi's pretty fresh. I never got to eat it." he hummed as he absently separated out portions out onto plates to heat in the microwave. The sushi was placed on little platters and ferried over to his tiny soapbox table. "Chopsticks?" 

"Of course." 

"Do you have any characters?" he asked idly as he picked up the tuna. Keep it casual, keep it casual, Phil mentally chants as he tries to not freak out Steve. 

Thankfully the blond takes his question and launches into this extended explaination. "Well, there's this guy..." 

Initiate mental fist pumps. 

* * *

 

Phil didn't expect to see Steve again when he let him out as the rain stopped. It's a fluke, he mused as he sat in musical theory class, a one-time deal. It was nice while it lasted. Phil's heart was still singing from that single moment of notice but he squashed it ruthlessly. He certainly didn't expect to be accosted by Tony Stark himself whilst getting lunch off-campus. 

"Hey." Phil doesn't look up from his sandwich or even acknowledge the hand waved in front of his face. "Hello?" A sharp tug had his headphones sitting around his neck, the speakers quietly playing AC/DC 'Back in Black.' "You're Phil Coulson, right?" 

"Yes. And you're disturbing my lunch why, Mr...?" 

"Stark, Tony Stark. I go to MIT but we have mutual friends. Namely Steve and he's had nothing but nice things to say about you. I mean, Clint thinks the sun seems to shine out of your ass but I like making my own assumptions. So, you busy?" 

Phil rose a brow, restarted his song, pulled his headphones back on and continued eating after he replied with little venom in his tone, "Clint's a walking, talking exaggeration at most things. Tasha lies through her teeth but I think she'd tell me whether or not you were a friend. Yes, I'm busy eating my lunch and so help me if you disrupt my song again, I'll Vulcan-nerve pinch you into compliance. Are we in agreement?" He says all of this with a perfectly straight face as he continues to eat his food in front of a very confused Tony Stark. Damned genius thinking he'd actually stop what he was doing for someone he only saw in the occasional gossip mag that Tasha left laying around in Clint's loft (which he and Natasha shared for convience's sake). Yeah right. His phone buzzed with three texts after he finished the last of his sandwich. 

_Dude, Tony just wanted to talk with you. I warned him about the food. -C_

The next was from Tasha. 

_We did warn him that you don't take well to strangers walking up to you like that. Plus, he touched the headphones. He obviously didn't heed our warnings. Want me to get rid of him? -T_

The final text was from Steve of all people and it wasn't even about Tony. 

 _Umm, Tasha gave me your number, muttered something in Russian and is now peaking over my shoulder watching me type this. Gimme a sec. Okay. Did you want to hang out with us? -Steve_  

His heart was doing tiny little flips in his chest and he took in a deep breath to relax himself. Tugging his headphones back down, he looked at Stark pointedly before holding out his phone for the genius to read. 

"Was this your idea?" 

"Whoa. No, definitely not; if it was mine, JARVIS would be talking from your phone right now. Trust me. You'd know if it was me. Maybe one of the others put him up to it. Shits and giggles type of bull. Thor and Loki pull it all the time. Probably  Tasha, since she only does that trick when she wants something to happen." The word vomit was something Phil could've done without but he got the gist of what was going on.  
   
"I take it you're to take me to wherever they are, Stark?" 

Tawny eyes looked at him with annoyance as he scraped back what seemed to be perpetual bedhead. "My old man's Stark. I'm Tony. I don't wanna be anything like the bastard." He could sympathize with trying to get out from under someone's shadow.  
   
"I know what you mean." What he wouldn't give to show up his dead-beat donor. 

"You too?" Tony huffed out with a grimace. 

"Unfortunately. He scrammed after he realized Mom was pregnant." came his venom-laced response. 

"I could, uh, find him for you." 

"No. I want nothing to do with him." he sneered as he was lead to a beauty of an Impala. Phil couldn't help the low whistle. "Oh, please tell me this is an original." He traced a reverent hand over the hood as he looked her over. "She's a beauty. Hemi V8 engine, tinted windows and original paint job too. What do you call her?" 

"Yes! Someone who speaks English when it comes to cars! I mean Bruce is my Science-bro/boyfriend and Loki's the one with the obscure info on almost everything. Clint's your go-to guy for targets & shit and Tasha's for kicking ass. Steve's the sensitive one." Tony babbled as they drove to where it was they were going. "Oh, uh, Baby. Isn't she a beaut? She's also an AI. I installed JARVIS in her as a precaution. Baby, talk to Daddy." 

"Hello, Father." the cool feminine voice had Phil's heart jumping up into his throat (or it felt like it did) from the shock. "I see we have a guest." 

"Did you like what Phil called you?" 

"I was pleased, Father. This one knows about cars." 

"You're a 67' Impala. What's not to like? Sleek, loud and just... Insanely awesome. She's a dream car of mine if I ever graduate Julliard with top marks." 

"What? Seriously? We share the same taste in cars. Why was this never brought up?!?" Tony gestulated as the car steered herself. He'd admit that part freaked him out slightly, just a little. Still, she was pretty cool in motion. 

"Probably because if Clint knew I was mechanically inclined he'd shove his broken computer at me faster than you can say Stark Industries." he snorted as he leaned back to enjoy the leather interior and the wind in his hair. 

"I totally forgot that you referenced Star Trek! Fellow nerd too. God, what else is Clint hiding? Mutant abilities? Secret genius that makes everyone seem stupid by comparison? You're stealing my mojo and you haven't even met the rest of us." Tony poked at his arm, prodded near his floating ribs and general facial areas as Baby continued to drive herself. 

"Stop that and _**JESUS FUCK, WATCH THE DAMNED ROAD!**_ " He wrenched the steering wheel to the right as Baby nearly drove into a semi-truck. "Is your mind seriously in more places than this one?" Phil snarked as he placed Tony's hands back on the wheel. 

"Well, I think about a billion times faster than everyone else. So, yeah, most likely." 

"Sir that was extremely close. Had Mr. Coulson not been in the car with you, the results would have been disastrous. I cannot pull you out of car wreckage just yet." The resigned tone of the male British voice made Phil shake his head. Just exactly how many AIs had Tony created?

"I have five currently. You said that out loud." That made him roll his eyes at Tony's smug tone. "There's You, Butterfingers, DUMI, Baby and JARVIS, who's modeled after my family's butler. They're hard to design but once you have the base code you can manipulate it for personalities. Everyone's named according to what I felt like calling them at the time... Baby and JARVIS are the exceptions." 

"You're a mechanically-inclined genius and you're making AIs at what age?"

"Uhhh, seventeen?" And here PHIL felt young at going to college at twenty! "Is this gonna make you treat me like a kid?" 

"Hey, you're in college when most people would still be in junior year. You're clearly smart enough. I'm not going to patronize you unless you deserve it." he answered honestly as he tapped out the last few bars for his composition, digging around in his satchel to retrieve his notebook. Concentrating, he added the last notes to his original song with a satisfied smirk. "Finally."

"Oh. Clint said you played but he didn't say you composed as well." Tony's visible shock made Phil's left eye twitch. Clint was definitely _dead meat_ when Phil got his hands on him,  best friend or not. Silly man.

"Clint's a blabber-mouth who will wish he hadn't talked at all in a minute. Yes, I compose. I'm hoping for a movie contract so I can do what I love most." 

"You're one of those scary efficient types, aren't you? Great. You and Pep will get along fantastically." Tony sniped as they parked in front of a pizzeria.

"Pep?" 

"Virginia Potts but she prefers Pepper or Pep." the genius explained as he opened the door. 

"Hello, how may I help you?" The waitress eyed Phil a manner that he didn't particularly like, the hairs on the back of his neck raising as his shoulders stiffened. Go away icky thoughts, go awaaay. 

"Just meeting some friends." Tony brushed her off absently as he spotted a group that Phil had yet to meet. He knew all of three people at that table and they all looked up as they approached. 

"Welcome, Son of Coul!" the larger blond boomed as Phil gingerly sits between Steve & Tasha. Hey, it was that or sit between his best friends/couple and that was uncomfortable at best. 

"Thanks?" he muttered as he picked at his favorite kind of pizza (Hawaiian with bits of bacon melted into the cheese). 

"He always talks like he's in a Shakespeare play. Drama major. My apologies for my brother. He means well." The dark haired, green-eyed man sitting in Tony's lap reassured as he ate his own pizza. "I'm Loki, by the way. That's Bruce, you've been greeted by Thor, Thor's girlfriend Jane, Pepper and Happy. Last but not least is Rhodey, Tony's best friend besides his AIs." 

"Hey! My babies are lovely, thank you very much." Tony protested around a mouthful of food. 

"I'm not saying they aren't, min elskede*. You'll overwhelm the poor man." 

"Actually he speaks mechanic. Come on, talk about how awesome Baby is-Or not." He just looked at Tony and then turned his attention to Clint's conversation. 

"... And then Phil hands my ass to me, muttering something about Baritsu and Sherlock Holmes. We were best friends after that." 

"Said best friend better shut up before I hand him his ass again." he quipped acridly as he joined the conversation between Happy and Clint. 

"What? I'm singing praises." The mischief in his friend's eye made him resort to high school tactics. He didn't want to but he would if it meant the stories stopped. 

"Hawkeye." he hissed, making hand gestures under the table which meant (seriously, shut up or I'll roast your ass when we hit the mats again; you're embarrassing me in front of Steve). 

"Oh." Clint flashed him an apologetic grin and snuggled up to Tasha. 

She huffed and muttered under her breath, "I told you, moy yastreb*. He doesn't appreciate being shown off. Phil's a behind-the-scenes man." 

"Yeah. Sorry." 

"Did you see the Man of Steel trailer?" Steve asked as everyone decided to start up a conversation with each other. 

"Yes, the song was amazing. I have it on my iPod somewhere. She did the soundtracks for LOTR as well, some of the battle moments." Phil stopped after he realized that half the table was staring at him in confusion. "What? I'm at Julliard. Music and composition majors ring a bell?" Oh, the agony! 

"I didn't tell them that." came Clint's amused answer. 

"Anything else hidden beneath that sneaky façade?" Tony teased. "You're stealing my thunder, music man." 

"No." Yes. He sang terribly, played a violin passibly and was constantly upkeeping his Baritsu techniques but no one needed to know that. "What you see is what you get Tony. Besides, I wouldn't bother stealing your thunder... It's not worth it." he smirked as he sipped Tasha's root beer. That set the entire table cackling at Tony's expense. The younger genius shook his head and gave Phil a wry grin. 

"Touché." 

'That's right, I'm cool.'

* * *

He had a fairly good time with the group. Pepper was a kindred organized spirit and they compared notes on how to keep Tony in line. 

"What are you-Oh my-No! Just stop whatever it is you're doing. I knew you two would gravitate towards one another but this is ridiculous! If you bred it would create an army of super efficient bastards..." Tony whined as they trooped out of the pizzeria. Phil shook his head with an amused smile, dug around in his pocket for his receipt and came up with a slip of paper he doesn't remember putting there. "What's that?" 

"I don't... know." he managed after he saw the waitress (who defined creepy cougar to a T) give him a frightening smile. Phil actually looked at the paper before laughing. 

_If you ever need a good time, call this number._

How about no, skank. Insert mental tongue sticking out here please.

Under that was a cell number and her name (Maybel or something redundant like that). That made him hold the note in front of him like a small bug before tossing it away. As they drove away Tony cackled, his eyes showing amusement as the crazy cougar stood with a dumb-founded look on her face. 

"Wow, you attract all kinds of wrong attention. I totally take what I said back." The genius managed before laughing again. "Geez. Are you even interested?" 

"No. I don't go for mousy, twice my age women who dye their hair red for attention. I'm a fan of blonds." 

"Harsh but definitely true. Blondes? I took you for a fan of busty brunettes." 

Phil sniggered at Tony's assumption that he was straight,"I don't care for gender." 

That earned him a smirk and a knowing look. "Anyone catch your fancy?" 

"I'm not telling you. You couldn't keep a secret if it bit you in the ass." he retorted as they drove back to Julliard. 

"... Point taken. Well, it was nice meeting you." Phil waved him off with a blank face before he made his way back to his apartment. Nosey geniuses needed to keep noses where they belonged dammit. 

It was with a distressing familiarity that he got to know the group and Baby. More often than not, he was unceremoniously snatched up by one of the group from wherever he happened to be at the time. He must be irresistible. Phil had resigned himself to the inevitable, non-consensual, kidnappings when he was visited by Steve at his workplace. 

"Welcome to the Magician's Café. What can I get you?" he muttered absently before a familiar voice jolted him out of his stupor. 

"I'll have the Hero's Sword and the American-themed shield." 

"Steve? Coming right up." he bit his lip to keep from blushing at his un-intended innuendo. The process was a familiar one at least and calmed him by the time he'd finished. "That'll be $7.23." Steve flashed him a smile as he pulled out a ten. "Change is $2.77." 

"When's your break?" the question made him warm inside as he answered. 

"In... two minutes. Think you can wait that long?" Phil had no idea where this suave gentleman act was coming from but he appreciated it all the same. 

"Yeah. I'll be in the corner booth." 

"Great. Now shoo, you're blocking my customers." he chuckled softly. 

"Nice boyfriend, young man. I'll have the Witch's Wand, no foam." The business-woman after Steve said with a conversational tone. 

"He's not my boyfriend." he protested as he steamed the milk and poured the coffee into a tall glass with a green straw, straining the milk so that there was no foam. "That'll be $3.80." 

"You should probably snap him up." she continued as Phil gave her the receipt. 

"Have a nice day, ma'am." He hung up his apron as he snagged his pre-made Hero's Sword that rested in his thermos. "Sitwell, you're up." Phil fled to the corner booth and put his face in his hands. "Oh my God... That was so embarrassing." 

"What was? You turned kinda pale, Phil. What'd she say?" Steve's concern was all well and good but now _really_ wasn't the time.

"Uhhh... She, umm, thought we were... boyfriends." he managed to get out from behind his hands. He heard a coughing noise as Steve choked on his cappuccino. "Yeah." 

"I mean, you're a good friend... Do we really come across that way?" Steve's earnest puppy-gaze was focused on him and he swallowed sharply. 

"I honestly have no idea. You're definitely not into skinny music majors." He'd seen Steve's past girlfriends; all busty brunettes or redheads. There was a chance that _hell_ would freeze over before Steve took notice of him that way. "She must've been all kinds of crazy." Wow, did that hurt to say it like that. He had no idea that it would feel like a bunch of knives, arrows and swords had decided to use his heart as a pincushion. 

"Hey, don't put yourself down like that. You're just fine if older women are hitting on you." Phil wouldn't mention the older men. "Tony swears he saw a bunch of guys trying to get your number after the concert too." 

"That was horseshit." It had actually been rather surprising to realize that he was supposedly attractive. "I just have fans now, is all." 

He hid the pang in his heart as he spent his lunch break with Steve before the artist had to leave. "I'm competing in a side-walk chalk challenge. I gotta go. Catch you later?" 

"Sure." 

Sitwell shook his head as Phil went back on shift,"That dude is _blind_." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" his tone was a little sharp as he fixed the coffee grinder for a moment with a lull in customers. 

"C'mon. I've worked with you for the past two years, Coulson. Even I can see you've got it bad for this guy." 

"It's none of your damn business." Phil replied with his usual voice, raising an eyebrow when it looked like his co-worker was going to press. 

* * *

Ice cream, Tasha and Clint were exactly what he needed after homework and his bad day. He got two out of the three. Tasha had cotton-candy ice cream and Singing in the Rain ready when he dropped by the loft. _Yes_ , God yes. 

"Thanks, Tasha." he sighed as he kicked off his shoes. 

"Steve talked with the group. He's an idiot." she succiently informed him as she offered him a spoon with the tub. 

"It felt like someone decided my heart would make a great pincushion. Why oh why do I have to like the one straight guy? If he was a girl, I'd still be in love with him. I'm so screwed. He's ruined me for anyone else." he complained as the opening credits rolled across the screen. "I hate that particular fact so much right now. He'll notice me when hell literally freezes over." 

"Why don't you date someone from that enormous list of numbers you seem to get?"   
"Fine. I'll see how the cellist is alright? If it doesn't work, you leave me to handle this mess, deal?" Natasha purses her lips but nods an agreement. 

"That's all I'm asking for Phil." 

"I can do that." he hums as he watches Gene Kelly dance on-screen. "I can definitely do that." 

Sure enough, he calls the cellist. She agrees to a date at a restaurant that he takes his Mom to when she visits.  

"It's my last year at Julliard and I'm taking up a position once I get home." She's pleasant enough, blonde as they come; her name's Celeste and his heart hurts a little less. 

"It's my third but I plan on getting a Masters in both of my Majors. Did you have Mr. Summers in your musical theory class?" 

"He still teaches? That man is so unorthodox, what with jumping on tables and whatnot." She laughs brightly, her hazel eyes sparkling with happiness; the pain stabs him briefly that they aren't blue but he doesn't think he could stand it if they were. 

"He amuses the younger students with his antics." Phil smiled genuinely at her, deciding that perhaps this wasn't so bad after all. 

About six months into his relationship with Celeste, the gang dragged them to karaoke night. They dressed casually (t-shirt and jeans) meeting up at Clint & Tasha's loft, waiting on the others. She slid her fingers through his as they sat on the love-seat. Why did they name them that anyway?

"So, Angel, how do you like the loft?" Phil hums, rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand to reassure. 

"The Nest is something new." She was, of course, commenting on Clint's Nest that had been his sole thing in childhood. "But I understand being in the system before someone takes pity on your story and adopts you." Her soft gaze is a little strained but Phil raises her hand and kisses the back of it with a smile.

"He's found his niche. Haven't you, Hawkeye?" he tilts back his head to see Clint grinning down at them from the exposed  rafter. 

"Damn skippy I have." With two PhDs (criminology and genetics) tucked under his belt and a third in the works (philosophy), Clint had job offers pouring in as he went to Berkley for the archery team. None of Phil's friends were slacking in any area really and that made him incredibly pleased.

"Clint, stop terrifying Phil's lady." 

"Hey, I'll take you-know-who over her any day." 

"Hawkeye." Phil says evenly, his tone quiet and full of warning. Celeste's hazel eyes widened fractionally at his tone which is something she's never heard before from him. 

"Sorry." 

"We said we'd never speak of that person." 

"Msorry, Phil." 

"Damn skippy you are." Tasha huffed as she bonked him on the head. "Quit bringing that up." 

"The others will meet us at the karaoke bar. Bastards probably didn't even wait." Clint hissed at his phone, glaring at what was obviously a text from Pepper. "At least Pepper bothers to inform us." 

"You know how they get. Thor's buddies are all here from Denmark and they're a rowdy bunch at the best of times." Tasha reminded her boyfriend. Phil knew Clint was close to popping the question on Natasha; hell, he was fairly surprised at her patience with Clint. One of these days she'd end up doing it herself.

The karaoke bar was fairly quiet this early in the night and Clint registered them along with the rowdy bunch of their friends plus Thor's. 

"I see you have made it." Thor clapped him on the shoulder and eyed Celeste with a curious glance. 

"This is my girlfriend Celeste. Angel, meet Thor." Her hand was completely engulfed by Thor's mitts as the Dane kissed her hand. "Hey, no wooing my woman." 

"Nay, Son of Coul, tis with utmost respect that I take the Lady's hand." 

"Where's Tony?" he rolled his eyes at Thor's speech, not seeing the two geniuses or Thor's brother. 

"He as well as Bruce are doing 'Science' and do not wish to be disturbed. Loki has taken it upon himself to keep them fed and off to bed at a decent hour."   
"Of course." 

"Are you competing in this contest of singing?" 

"Maybe." Famous last words. Why couldn't he say no? 

Clint and Natasha went first singing the duet of Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On, both of them being fairly mushy. Thor sings the song from the end of HTTYD. Steve hands over a memory stick to the DJ and begins, fidgeting as he opens his mouth to sing (Phil thinks that's adorable but he just squeezes Celeste's hand tighter). 

_Hey now call it a spliff 'cause you know that you will_  
Oh you bite your friend like chocolate  
You say, we'll go where nobody knows, with guns hidden under our petticoats  
No we're never gunna' quit it, no we're never gunna' quit it no 

_Now we run run away from the boys in the blue, and my car smells like chocolate_  
Hey now think about what you do, think about what they say, think about how to think  
Pause it play it, pause it play it, pause it 

_Oh we go where nobody knows, with guns hidden under our petticoats_  
No we're never gunna' quit it, no we're never gunna' quit it no  
Yeah we're dressed in black from head to toe, we've got guns hidden under our petticoats  
No we're never gunna' quit it. no we're never gunna' quit it no 

_Now you're never gunna' quit it, Now you're never gunna' quit it, Now you're never gunna' quit it_  
If you don't start smoking it, that's what she said  
She said we're dressed in black, head to toe, with guns hidden under our petticoats  
No we're never gunna' quit it, no we're never gunna' quit it no 

_Hey now we're building up speed as we're approaching the hill_  
Oh my hair smells like chocolate  
Hey now you say you're gunna' quit it but you're never gunna' quit it  
Gotta get it, gotta get it, gotta get it, gotta get it, go!  
and play it cool 

_Oh and you said we go where nobody knows, with guns hidden under our petticoats_  
No we're never gunna' quit it, no we're never gunna' quit it no  
Yeah we're dressed in black, from head to toe, we've got guns hidden under our petticoats  
We're never gunna' quit it, no we're never gunna' quit it no 

_Well I think we better go, seriously better go_  
Said it's better than hanging on  
Seriously better go, oh oh, well I think we better go  
Said it's better than hanging on  
Said Rebecca better know  
Seriously better go 

_We go where nobody knows, with guns hidden under our petticoats_  
No we're never gunna' quit it, no we're never gunna' quit it no  
Yeah we're dressed in black, head to toe, with guns hidden under our petticoats  
No we're never gunna' quit it. no we're never gunna' quit it no  
No no no 

_Well I think we better go, seriously better go_  
Said it's better than hanging on  
Seriously better go, oh oh, well I think we better go  
Said it's better than hanging on  
Said Rebecca better know  
Seriously better go 

The bar hoots and hollers as Steve turns pink. Phil rolls his eyes, tugging an embarrassed Steve off of the stage, which spawns the call of, "Sing! You're up there anyway!"   
"No. I don't sing." No, no, that was a **_terrible_** idea. He wasn't any-Shit. 

"Yes, you do." Tasha (the damned traitor) places the mic in his hand. "I hear you singing in the car." she whispers as she wraps his fingers around the handle gently. "Go on. Wow him and sing for him." 

_Don't believe in miracles_  
I never did  
Nothing ever happens here  
So sick of it 

_I-I-I told you_  
I-I-I need to  
Get - get myself into something new  
I'm for something mystical, hysterical,  
Dark, intensive, sexual 

_I'm not gonna live forever_  
Said I'm not gonna live forever  
Better make it now or never  
(ever, ever)  
I'm not gonna live forever  
Said I'm not gonna live forever  
Gotta make it now or never  
(forever or never) 

_I don't believe in fairytales_  
Too cynical  
Everybody stop and stare  
I let it go 

_I-I-I told you_  
I-I-I need to  
Stick - stick - stick out  
Just to keep be like you 

_Send myself to out of space_  
A better place  
Gotta win the human race 

_I'm not gonna live forever_  
Said I'm not gonna live forever  
Better make it now or never  
(ever, ever)  
I'm not gonna live forever  
Said I'm not gonna live forever  
Gotta make it now or never  
(forever or never) 

_For my love_  
For my love  
For my love, it's forever, forever 

_I'm not gonna live forever_  
Said I'm not gonna live forever  
Better make it now or never  
(ever, ever)  
I'm not gonna live forever  
Said I'm not gonna live forever  
Gotta make it now or never  
(forever or never) 

Right after he finished, the crowd went wild. He made straight for the stairs after that but Clint (he swears they're tag-teaming him, the bastards) pushes him back up to joyous cheers from the crowd. 

"Encore!" 

"Yeah, that was awesome!" He tugs on his shirt hem and clears his throat after a bottle of water, so not wanting to sing again but put on the spot-light by his best friends. He'd kill them after he got off the stage. 

_God is dead_  
When someone fills your heart instead  
Your soul's on fire all your needs  
How can they call it blasphemy 

_Love is nature_  
So you're praying for salvation  
For the hearts to understand 

_That is you_  
My new religion is you  
They say this love is blasphemy  
It is blasphemy-It is blasphemy  
But my new religion is you 

_Faith is crime_  
When all you love is one the line  
Your script's bleeding  
Incomplete and blamed for immorality 

_Love is nature_  
So you're braking with tradition  
In this godforsaken land 

_That is you_  
My new religion is you  
They say this love is blasphemy  
It is blasphemy-It is blasphemy  
But my new religion is you  
That is you 

_Blasphemy-god is dead-blasphemy_

_That is you_  
My new religion is you  
They say this love is blasphemy  
It is blasphemy-It is blasphemy  
But my new religion is you  
That is you 

He literally flees back to his seat after that, his cheeks burning from the appreciative glances guys and girls are sending his way. 

They've been dating for nearly a year now, which means they're very close. She confesses he's the best boyfriend she's ever had and that he's been so attentive to her needs. 

"I'll be sad to leave New York. It's like a second home now. You know what I mean?" 

He swings their joined hands together playfully as he answers. "I do. I've got a bit before I have to leave though. Time has flown by, hasn't it? How long until your graduation?" 

"Oh my goodness. It's in a little less than three months away. You'll be there?" Celeste asks as she glances over at him with a soft smile tugging on her lips. 

"I couldn't be anywhere else." he teases gently as he tugs gloves over her cold fingers. "Can't have your best instruments falling off before the big day." 

"Phil!" she giggles as he presses butterfly kisses to her cheeks and eyelids. "You're such a sap." 

"Your sap, Angel."  

"Music man! I didn't know you had sap in you." Phil rolled his eyes at Tony's voice and turned around. "Heya. Is this the famous cellist that you and Pep chit-chat about?"  
   
"Yes, Tony, this is Celeste. No, you're not allowed to attempt to seduce her." 

Ochre eyes light up and dull before Phil finishes, Tony pouting and blowing a raspberry his way,"You're no fun, Phil." 

"Says the idiot who parties a little too hard sometimes. What are you doing here other than to harass me, Tony?" he asks with a fond tone. 

"Nothing in particular. Group's getting together this weekend. You still in?" 

"For ninja paintball? Are you kidding me? I wouldn't miss it for the world. Angel, want to come with?" 

"Paintball. Will it bruise my fingers?" she was a little hesitant. 

"Nope! But everything else is fair game." Tony chirrups in answer. "We've got one musician, one mechanic and an artist in the group so fingers are definitely off-limits unless said shooter wants to get punched really hard by the remaining members of the group. So not fun." 

"What Tony means under his word vomit is no." Phil laughs dryly. "It bruises though. You might want to wear layers."

* * *

 

He's the first there with Celeste sipping on his Hero's Sword as his girlfriend drinks her hot chocolate (which he also made and she loves). Clint's the second one in, dragging Tasha out from the cold.

"But Clint, I love snow..." she huffs before making a face at her fiancé. Yeah the idiot finally proposed to his girlfriend of seven years. She'd brought out her own; a well-cut blue zirconite adorning the simple, strong ring. 

"We'll have the wedding in it then." Clint hums as he snags his (labeled, dammit, beause there was nothing worse than getting the one that's not yours) drink out of the box that Phil brought. After that disasterous day at the café, the group had unanimously declared him the Maker of the Drinks (Thor's words, not his) and it was his duty to figure out everyone's favorites. He prided himself on finding out all of them without anyone's help; even if it took him two full weeks for Loki, the tricky bastard. Speak of the devil and he shall appear for it was Loki & Thor who came in next. 

"Nicely done, Son of Coul." Thor declared after he inhaled about half of his sickeningly sweet caffeine. Phil swears it's more sugar than coffee but he made it anyway. Loki eyes his cup suspiciously before taking a cautious sip, the dark green eyes widening a fraction before he takes a larger swallow. 

"Indeed. I would think it'd take longer. Did you have help?" 

"No." 

"Never even asked me how I like my drink." Tony said as he appeared out of the blue, snow still melting in his hair from the sudden storm, followed by the rest of the group. "Let's see what's in my cup..." He took a drink, blinked and grinned at him; black with only enough sugar to taste. "Ninja Phil strikes again. I give up." 

"Well, it wasn't that hard to figure out." Phil muttered as he handed out the rest, ticking off the remainder of them. "Bruce doesn't do coffee so it had to be tea. I know I prefer a loose white leaf when I want to relax. Pepper likes cinnamon on most of her desserts from where I work and she ordered the Wiccan's Brew from Sitwell while I was baking. I already knew Steve's, Rhodey's & Jane's are the same as Tony's since they work a lot and Happy's is sage and honey tea. Nat's is... a secret." It was jasmine tea that she favored but that was between them since she knew his favorite ice cream was cotton candy. 

"No guesses?" came Tony's disappointed tone. 

"Go right ahead." Tasha said as she guarded her cup like a dragon. "I dare you, Tony." Yeah, like Tony was brave enough to cross Natasha on this. 

"...Nevermind then. Anywho, who goes on whose team?" 

"I call Phil!" Clint tugged Tasha over to where he and Celeste were standing. 

"I call Bruce, Loki, Rhodey and Pep. The rest of you pick wherever." Tony said smugly as he sipped his drink happily. 

"I'll go with Phil's team." Steve replied to Tony's mock-taunt. 

"Then the Lady Jane and I shall sit this one out." Thor stated as he held Jane close, her soft gaze saying it all. 

"Yeah, my hands are still bruised from boxing practice. Sorry guys." Happy sighed as his fingers wrapped around the warm cup of tea.

"Aww, c'mon! No lovey dovey, chick-flick moments, please." Tony whined as he made grabby hands at his driver. 

Phil laughed at what Tony had said and Steve muttered, "I get that reference."   
"Of course you do; I only made you watch it because I won't throw you to the nerds unequipped. It's how I show my un-dying love for you." Tony sniffed sarcastically. Celeste giggled quietly at Tony's expressive gestures and Phil smiled as they geared up separately (boys & girls). 

Preventing his friends from taking pot-shots at his girlfriend proved to be a difficult self-appointed task. He sniped from where he was above her, the paintballs heading for shoulders, thighs and feet. 

"Ouch! Geez, Phil, you're scary when you shoot to defend..." Tony complained over the comm. system he'd made when Phil shot his thigh for the eigth time in a row. 

"Stop targeting Celeste and I might consider shooting you elsewhere." he hummed back, trying to ignore the fact that Steve was really close to him. He was attached; he shouldn't even be entertaining those thoughts! He cursed the way his pulse jumped around the older male, regardless of what was happening. 

"I can defend myself, sweetheart." she replied while shooting Loki right in the chest.   
"Indeed." was Loki's dry response as he massaged the sore spot. 

"Sexy. I like a woman who can defend herself." Rhodey laughed as she 'killed' him with two shots to the chest. 

"That's my girl you're talking about." Phil warned as he took the rest of Tony's team out. "Yes! We won. Hey, Angel?"

"Yes, Phil." she says sweetly. 

"I should've had you tag along with me this whole time. You're good at this." he said proudly as he hugged her, slinging his gun over his shoulder and spinning her around. "Beautiful and deadly." She shook her head in amusement before standing up on tip-toe for their usual kiss. 

"So, who's up for some victory pizza? Loser's team is buying!" Tony interrupted their kiss by elbowing him, flicking his gaze towards Steve. Phil rolled his eyes and finished his kiss anyway, letting Celeste's chocolate, mint & sugar flavor envelope him. Her fingers gripped his paint-spattered armor (pulling him closer) as he closed his eyes to savor the taste. "Eeh-herm. Guys. Seriously, stop with the sickeningly sweet love story kiss." They pulled away from each other with a quiet snik, Phil stroking away a stray curly hair while giving her a small smile. 

"You're just jealous." Celeste laughed as she was pulled away by Tasha and Pepper to go change. 

"Am not!" 

"Liar." Bruce grinned as he spun Tony and kissed him in a way that made Phil's heart ache. He didn't love Celeste but he did feel something. "That's what made you jealous, my crazy genius? Maybe Loki and I should make overt gestures more often." 

"Min elskede, you need only ask." Loki's dark green eyes were warm as they traced over Tony's face. 

"Really?" Phil tactfully turned around and bumped right into Steve. 

"Sorry, Steve." he watched Thor try to balance a spoon on his nose and fail, much to Jane's amusement. 

"Are you... happy with her?" the soft question was one he didn't expect but answered anyway. 

"Yes." But that was the rub, wasn't it? _Steve_ asking whether or not he was happy. Content, yes. Happy? Hell no. "We should probably go change like the girls are doing." 

"Yeah." 

The victory pizza he share with Celeste as well as the rest of his 'team' was bittersweet because of Steve's question. Natasha noticed his smile was brittle and liable to break at anytime. She flicked her fingers into code (I'll pretend to go to the bathroom and you follow after ten minutes. Clint will distract everyone with a food fight). He nodded to show he was ready whenever she was. 

She wriggled her way out of the booth and Phil waited exactly ten minutes before excusing himself from Celeste's side. Tony sat next to her, blabbering about the mechanics of cellos and utter nonsense. He walked towards the bathroom only for Tasha to grab him; they ended up in the alley behind their favorite pizzeria.

"What did he say?" 

"He asked me whether or not I was happy." Her face said she understood, even as she enveloped him in a hug. "Tasha, I don't know how long I can keep doing this. I'd rather hate him than be his friend. It hurts so much." he choked out as he pulls her close. 

"I don't pretend to know how you feel, Phil, but I do know that things have a way of working out." Tasha murmurs into his hair. 

"I hope they do, Tasha, because all it does right now is ache." 

"Well, enough of that. Let's go see what our Hawk has done in our absence." she says as she wipes his tears away with a discreet thumb. 

* * *

**-Three Months Later; JFK Airport-**  

He embraces Celeste for what he knows is the last time. She's on a flight back home (Seattle) where she'll take up a position that is admirable. 

"Phil."

"Angel." 

"You're too sweet for your own good. You know why I'm breaking this off, right?" she asks, hazel eyes looking up at him seriously. 

"Because, and I quote, 'I don't want to break your heart when I fall in love with some idiot producer or a lumberjack.' I remember, Celeste." he teases fondly, "Besides, this leaves me all of Julliard to chase after." 

She shakes her head with a wry smile as she hugs him one more time,"I have to go or I'll be late. You'll email at least?" 

"The second you email me." She's grown to be a dear friend in the time they've been together. "Shoo. Before you miss your flight." He playfully shoos her forward and laughs when she has to come back for her carry-on. When she's finally out of sight he breathes deeply and turns around to catch a cab back to his apartment. Somehow, he feels lighter for having said a proper goodbye. 

What he didn't expect was for the group to be in his apartment waiting for him. 

"SURPRISE!" 

"You guys do realize it's summer and I go home to my Mom in less than a week?"   
Tony scoffed loudly, "Duh. It's why we're here. So we can get as much of your time as we can." 

"Thought you didn't like it when I stole your thunder?" Phil one, Tony zero, he thought with an inner cackle. 

"Please, I have two ego boosters that absolutely adore me. Steal all the thunder you like, I'm still prettier than you even on a bad day." Tony one, Phil one. 

"Touché." 

"Hey, Phil has something going for him. Music always gets more ladies than mechanics does." Rhodey defended, ribbing Tony as Bruce petted him back down from wanting to choke the ROTC cadet. "I mean, he's got this little black book full of numbers-" Phil snatched it out of Rhodey's hands before gently flicking through the pages. 

"That's my compositions. The one on the mantle is the black book. Take it. I hate the damned thing. I only keep it to add to the mystique." he quipped sharply as he tucked his private journal into his suit-jacket. "I have a concert to get to and play at in three hours. Think you can get ready and meet me back here?" Phil relents at Steve's puppy-eyes (dammit, he still wasn't immune to the look). 

"Dude. You are so on!" Tony grinned as he fished out a ten. 

"You're going to lose that bet." Steve muttered as he pulled out a five. "I bet that Tony loses." 

"I didn't even know we were betting." 

"I'll take them, Phil. You know how he is." Pepper sighed with fond annoyance. 

"Yeah, I do. Do you want help?" 

"My hair, maybe. Nat and I have the rest." 

"Well then, I'll see you soon Milady." he sketched a bow and kicked them all out of his apartment. 

He rolled his sleeves up as Tasha, Pepper and surprisingly Jane opened the door looking beautiful with their damp hair up in clip-buns. His jacket was hanging up away from all of the hairspray and stray hairs. 

"Okay, ladies, who's first?" Tasha pushed Jane down first, her green dress fluffing up as the tulle settled into the chair. "I'm surprised to see you here. I'd expect Frigga to do yours." 

"She's got a business meeting with her husband." 

"Right." Loki had sent him a message and it was probably that. "Pep? My phone?" 

"Message from Loki." 

"Warning me of this. It's fine. So, up, down, curls...?" 

"Oh. Wow. They weren't kidding." she giggles as he spins the chair playfully. Phil does an internal dance at the praise his girls like to heap on him. Oh, yeah, he's the man.   
"Up and down?"

"Gotcha. Anything else?" he knows the look she's going for.

"Little bit of curls on the down part?" That'll match nicely with the wonderful design she's got on. He doesn't do this often but he knows that if he took up this business, he'd always have his girls as special customers. He gets lost in this like he does his music... And speaking of which, Pepper hooks up his iPod and puts on his jam. Styling her hair takes him a good hour and he also starts on Pepper's & Nat's while he waits for Jane's curls to stay put with all the pins he has in her hair. A knock on his apartment door reveals his neighbor, Ms. Jean Grey. "Hey, Jean. Sorry for blasting the music." 

"No, I actually like it when you do. No one else is here right now. Going out?" 

"Mmm, concert and the ladies decided to ask me for my special talents. Magical fingers, you know." He wiggled said fingers in her direction as he takes out the softly bouncing curls and cards his fingers through them for a deliberately messy look. "Come on in. I'm in a groove." 

"Wow. You really do have magic fingers. That looks amazing." Jane spins around in delight and flops onto his bed. The matching heels are by the door, so the girls are barefoot for now. Pepper's up-do with soft tendrils escaping is the easiest, followed by his styling of Tasha's curls into a 40s inspired hair-do. Jean was chit-chatting with Jane about things entirely out of his range, dipping into genetics and astro-physics like it's an everyday thing. 

"I think there's an Einstein-Rosen bridge in New Mexico. I mean, the scans presented are just amazing..."

"Really? Obviously Hank could keep up with you but I'm more into genetics and how there might already be mutants in our society...." Phil did his final touch-ups just as the boys came in (Clint had a key). He pulled on his suit-jacket and straightened his bow tie as Tony stumbled in last with a messed-up tie. 

"I win." He hummed as he snagged the ten from Pepper. 

"Damn it." Tony pouted but swatted Phil's ass when he sat on the genius to fix his tie. "I'm taken, music man." 

"I'm not trying anything dumbass. Fixing your atrocious tie is more important than trying to harass you. I told you, I prefer blonds to brunettes." 

"Oh. Right." Phil got off of the genius's lap only to almost bump into Steve. "Wow, that was awkward." He'd done a little hip roll motion to keep away from his crush and it had the effect of putting everyone's attention on him. "I had no idea that you could _move_ like that." 

"It's nothing." 

"That hip roll begs to differ." Tony pressed and Phil just head-slapped him. 

"Baritsu technique, idiot." Steve blinked as he realized Phil had avoided him with that move. "Yes, I didn't touch your hips with mine. That would be more awkward than what I just did, trust me." There was honest confusion in his eyes but Phil managed to shoo everyone out before the blond could question it further. 

* * *

He walked onto the highlighted stage, having cracked his fingers all at once before he rolled his head behind the curtain, aware that his friends were watching him play. Phil opened the ceremony with Moonlight Sonata his eyes half-lidded as he pours his emotions into every note. He's immersed in the music, lost in the feel of the sonata as his fingers sank firmly onto the ivories, saying what he could not say with his music as opposed to his voice.

 As he finished, the hall was hushed; silent in a way that was filled with emotion before someone started clapping and soon the whole elegantly dressed crowd was asking for an encore. Phil flicked his eyes over to his friends only to find that they were wiping away what looked suspiciously like tears. The soft smile that touched his lips had them smiling back as he re-took his seat. Before his fingers touched the keys, the director shook his head no at the same song, mouthing 'play something else.' 

Phil took a few seconds before he was stuck between Arms of An Angel and Hallelujah. He went with his second choice, drawing ruthlessly on the emotions he'd hidden from Steve (from everyone who wasn't Tasha and Clint, really, but he had to be transparent by now). There was clapping as soon as he'd finished that piece as well, bowing out of a third encore so that the show could go on. He was met back-stage by his puppy-pile of friends.

"Remind me to hire you when my old man croaks. That was kind of awesome." Tony says as he hugs Phil first, followed by Tasha, Clint and the rest of the group. Steve hung back as the others made their way to the planned dinner. 

"Phil?"

"Yeah, Steve?" he mentally curses his breathless response. 

"You seemed so... involved in those songs. Can I paint you as my final?" His crush/friend/what the hell/why can't I say no to this man? asks sweetly, grinning at him nervously. "I mean, you don't have to say-"

"Yes. I'll pose, model, whatever you'd like. Art is a finicky business and a Muse is a Muse, regardless of where it comes from in the moment. I know the feeling." he says, quashing the little butterflies dancing in his stomach. He's _really_ got to get _over_ this thing, Phil thinks as he follows Steve out to the main foyer. 

"So, Capsicle, did he say yes?" Tony chirruped from his spot (sitting on top of both his lovers laps), offending old ladies and their husbands like it was going out of style.   
"He understands the Muse strikes when she likes not when I want her to, alright? I _was_ going to ask you but I don't want to do a famous person like everyone else is doing. I like the idea of Phil as my subject." ... And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why you should _not_ fall for an artist. 

They just break what you healed in a year with no less than nine words, Phil thinks bitterly as he feigns tiredness and pleads guilty to wanting a nap. This love is not what he asked for when he set foot on Julliard's grounds. Tasha follows him out and drives him back in perfect silence until they're in his apartment. He keens softly into Tasha's shawl as she holds him close, falling apart almost instantly in her embrace.   
"Fuck it. I am done with Steve Rogers." he says through his sniffles and drying tears. "Fuck it all." 

"You sure, zapravila?" she croons as she pushs his soaked hair away from his forehead with a soft touch. 

"It would've been so easy to love you guys." he slumps on her in defeat, tears slowly making their way down his face. 

"It would have made things easier on you. But what is he missing when you give up on him? The love of the century. I wish we could love you as much as we love each other." 

"I know, Widow, I know." he shudders lightly when there's a knock on his door. "Will you answer it?" 

"Of course. Anything for my Agent." She opens the door and her breath is a hiss when she inhales. "Steve." 

"Phil kinda split before they gave the awards, so uh, I brought his here. Is he alright?" 

"He will be fine." 

"But-"

"Now is not the time to be here." she snarls as her inner lioness surfaces.   
"I need to talk with him."   
"What for, exactly?" Tasha's defending the door fiercely in her righteous anger. Phil's heart skips a beat before he reminds it that it hurts because Steve will never-

"Personal things." 

"We're best friends. He'll tell me eventually." she counters with the obvious stink eye she's giving his former crush (Phil can't even see her face and he _knows_ that face).  
"It's _**personal**_ okay? As in I want to talk to him alone because I just sorted something out in my head and I need to talk to him before my courage fails me." She growls lowly but shuts the door to the bathroom extra hard when she lets him in. "Phil?" 

"Yeah?"

"Oh, wow, you sound terrible... Should I come back?" 

"No. Go ahead."

"IthinkIfellinlovewithyou." the words are faster than Phil can ever register.

He blinks, trying to figure out that jumbled mess he just thinks he heard. "Slower maybe? I didn't catch that." 

Steve swallows noisily before inhaling shakily. "I said, I think... I think I fell in love with you." 

"That's what I thought it was." He can collapse in front of his requited love, right? Right. 

He groans as the stuffy feeling of having cried himself to sleep makes itself known along with decent singing. Phil realizes he knows the voice after a moment or two. 

"Like a 747, you flew to me, leaving gravity, leaving Earth behind, taught by human kind  
You must be some kind of superhero  
Hero-Oh, hey. Tasha said you'd wake up shortly. Sorry about my singing." Steve's wearing a pair of snug jeans, a towel wrapped around his shoulders being oh-so-casually rubbed against damp blonde hair and _**nothing else**_ so you'll forgive Phil if his brain quit on him. (It's just a little bit, he swears, but Steve's perfectly formed body makes him drool.) "Phil?" 

He snaps out of it, recalls last night's conversation and pinches himself hard enough to leave a welt and a lot of pain. "Ouch! So this isn't a dream..." 

"Tasha said you'd explain before she left." 

"Explain why I fainted like a girl?" he says as he yawns, his jaw cracking. 

"Manful collapse, I believe she called it." There's a shy addition to Steve's normally confident tone and Phil's stomach fills with butterflies at the soft grin shot his way. "Coffee?" 

"I'll need it... And a shower. Ugh." 

"Sure." His grin wavers a bit as Phil brushes his hand along Steve's bicep as he reaches for the coffee, waiting for the older man to do something when he's in grabbing distance. There's a rumbling noise before Steve's hands cover his waist and he's wrapped in a possessive embrace. "I wanted to do that all morning. I can't stop thinking or-Hmmm." 

Phil places an experimental finger against Steve's lips amd gets a reaction he thought only worked in movies or cheesy romance novels; Steve's eyelids lower, the half-lidded stare a brilliant blue that makes him swallow sharply in an attempt to wet his suddenly dry throat.   
"So, ummm..." His... What is Steve anyway? Boyfriend? Friend with benefits? Phil removes his finger from Steve's lips, continuing as though he hadn't trailed off. "What are we, exactly?" 

"Boyfriends, I hope. I had this whole speech planned and... You see how well _that_ worked." 

Phil laughed, knowing exactly how Steve felt. "Boyfriends it is. By the way, how long has that confession been rattling around in that pretty head of yours?" 

"... Since you said I wasn't interested in skinny music majors." The amused tone was accompanied by a gentle kneading of his hips, which were still caught between Steve's large hands. Phil gasped before his phone rang. Steve handed it to him with a scowl directed at the phone. 

"Coulson." 

"Son, I thought you said you were already packed?" 

"Mom?!" Steve's eyes widened at his question, still wrapped around him and not letting go. 

"Where are you?" 

"Uh, in my apartment."

"I've been waiting outside at this little cafe for ages. What are you doing that's so important that you're making me wait?" 

"Phil... You didn't tell me your Mom was driving up here." The mischief was barely heard before Steve nipped at his neck, sliding his hand inside of Phil's very rumpled shirt. 

"Steve... Not-Ahhh-now... Mmm." His phone was set on the counter as he was pressed into the table, warm hands sliding over his chest and cupping his ass as they may or may not have elicited noises of pure want from him. "Nngh... Steve."

"Hmm?" Darkened blue eyes meet his hazel as he tries to concentrate on the fact that his Mom is on the other end.

"Mom's still on the phone." All he gets is a noncommittal hum as Steve reaches around to cut off the call. 

"Want you." 

"What... Ohhh... What about our talk?" Phil's breath hitches as he feels Steve bite down on his neck. 

"Later." 

It's a very rumpled Phil that greets his Mom at the Magician's Café with his new boyfriend in tow; Steve refused to be left behind. 

"Phillip James-Oh." She looks Steve up and down as she takes in their joined hands.   
"So this is Steve." 

"Yes ma'am." 

"Are you dating my baby?" 

"Yes ma'am." 

"Do you love him?" Steve smiles as he presses a kiss to the back of Phil's hand.   
"Yes ma'am, I certainly do." 

"Phil, sweetheart, can we talk?" He un-links his fingers from Steve's and makes his boyfriend guard their stuff. She leads him to the side alley where Sitwell normally takes his smoke break. "Who is that boy?" 

"Steve Rogers." 

"The same one you've been mooning over even when you were with that nice girl?" she asks, her face beginning to show the years she'd raised him alone. 

"He confessed yesterday." Phil smiles at the memory of this morning, his hand coming up to touch the hickies that wouldn't fade for a good while. Damn Steve was good at that.  "I thought it was a dream, I pinched myself and ended up with a welt. We hammered out exactly what we were to each other. It's okay." 

"It's been less than a month since you broke it off with her." His Mom admonished as she hugged him. 

"She broke it off with me, just so you know. I've been in love with Steve for a long time now. It's just taken us a while to get together." 

"Star-crossed? Invite him over. We'll see if he lasts." 

"Mom, if you scare him away..." 

"This is his test from me." 

"Fine." Steve's first action after they come back is to greet him with coffee. "Hero's Sword?" 

"Just how you like it. Sitwell gave me the 'I'm glad to see you pulled your shit together speech'; his words, not mine. Hello, Ms. Coulson." Steve's phone rang suddenly, "If you'll excuse me for a moment? Hello? Tá mé ag gnáth-áit le Phil. Sea, a dúirt mé leis. Tá mé ag freastal ar a mháthair ceart anois. Fuair tú díreach in aice leis athrú ag an ospidéal. Codladh agus beidh mé insint duit faoi nios déanai. Is breá liom tú ró, Mam. Fodhlíthe.*" Phil blushed lightly at the way Steve's voice seemed to glide in certain areas of the language. "Sorry. That was my Mam, wondering where I was and what I was doing. She's been that way for a while now." 

"And where do you live?" 

"Ah, Brooklyn. I'm lucky to have my school so close to home." Steve cuddled up to Phil, practically wrapped around him as his boyfriend spoke with confidence. 

"Where do you go?" 

"I got a scholarship to Parsons." 

"Is that anything like Julliard?" 

"It has a broader range of arts; fashion, art history, media, art and graphic design, that sort of thing. You name it, they probably have it, though not music." Steve's handling this way better than Phil expected him to. 

"Your specialty?" Phil frowned at his Mom's systematic questioning that was pretty rapid-fire for her. 

"Graphic design. I make webcomics as well as traditional ones." came the easy, warm answer. "I like to do things more by hand though and it frustrates my Professors sometimes." 

His Mom narrows her eyes at his boyfriend before huffing,"Hmm. What does your Mother do?"

"She's a registered nurse at the local clinic and then one of the bigger hospitals. She just got off her shift at the hospital and won't be going back for the next three days. My Da was a firefighter." He's proud of his answer, the warmth in his eyes so catching. 

"Was?" 

"He died rescuing three others from a blaze in the inner-city." he says with an edge of steel in his voice that Phil knew meant business. 

"Babe, can I talk for a sec?" he tugs Steve into the alley and cups the strong jaw between his palms. "Mom's paranoid. I'm sorry for her insensitive questions. You alright?" Phil smooothed Steve's hair away from his face, gently running his fingertips over Steve's cheek as he curled into his arms. The strong arms wrapped around him almost like a habit and Steve smiled down at him with amusement. "How did I miss this?" 

"Miss me? Well, there was Peggy and then Sharon so I can't exact-" 

"No. I meant how could I miss you when you were right in front of me? You were supportive where they weren't, warm where they were cold, a solid presence when they were scarce. Well, never again." The slow, sweet kiss that seemed to last forever past each quiet snik made Phil feel cherished. "You're my boyfriend and you'll get respected, loved and held dear for as long as you'll have my annoying butt."

"It's a very nice bum. I suppose I could put up with you." he says with a shake of his head. 

"Just my butt?" the tone's teasing as Steve shifts to drape over him. 

"Silly man. It's either all of you or nothing." Phil hums as Steve sways them back and forth to music only he can hear. Out of his peripheral vision he spots his Mom looking at them from a distance. She's thoughtful, a look she often sports before making her final judgements. "Mom's about to pass her final opinion of you." 

"Better make you laugh then." The tapered, square-tipped fingers find his tickle-spots from memory and he's startled into laughter as he allows Steve access. He shifts into helpless giggles as Steve's fingers find his weak spot, his head falling onto Steve's broad shoulder in a sign for mercy. 

"Uncle! Ahahahahahahaha, uncle!" The fingers pull away and wipe away the tears of joy with as much care as Steve can manage. "Jerk."

"Still yours?" 

"Sure." 

* * *

Driving to Minnesota was grueling even with three drivers, shifts and frequent breaks. By the time they arrived in his home-town, all of them went straight to bed after lugging the suitcases up the two flights of stairs. His head hit the pillow and he doesn't remember falling asleep. 

He wakes up to quiet conversation that he knows is Steve and his Mom. 

"You had no idea that Phil was after you?" 

"None. I must have been-excuse my language, ma'am- damned blind. He was always there for me. I should've seen it sooner." He yawns, stretches and shuffles past his Mom for the coffee like he has every year since senior year in high school. "Does he always do that? I've only seen him like that when there's nothing much to do..." 

"Phil's cut back on his caffeine intake. Trust me, he was like that Stark boy he writes home about; nearly two carafes a day." she teased as he grumbled around his personal chipped mug. 

"Wasn't that bad." 

"Well, you're no worse than your brother at the Fire Department. He drinks the same amount when he comes home too. It's like the pair of you like home more than where you're at." She flips the pancakes onto a separate plate before turning to the bacon, only to find Steve placed it on a paper towel in the wire basket she always used and a piece already in Phil's mouth. "Phillip..." 

"Mmm? I washed my hands before. Steve made sure of that." he murmured after he swallowed his bacon. "Is Liam on shift today or is he home with Dromie?" 

"With Andromeda. I don't know why you insist on the nicknames." his Mother chided with a shake of her finger in his direction. 

"What? Everyone but you calls her that." he counters as he avoids the head-slap.   
"Mom, really?" 

"Damn. I thought I'd get you this time."

"Not likely; Baritsu, training with Tash,nClint and Happy leaves me with lightning fast reflexes when it comes to attacks." Phil sasses before he's cuddled by Steve. "Steve's the one exception to my rules."

"You're like a ragdoll cat, always leaning into my touch." comes the warm response.   
"Hmm. Only cause I like you." he swallows three mouthfuls of coffee before he kisses Steve on the chin. "Kiss?" 

"You never have to ask." He's kissed with the growl that got him all hot and bothered in his apartment. "Never ever." 

"Don't let Liam see that-"

"What is it you don't want me-Oh." Steve's kissing him again and consciously ignoring his family as he does so. "Eh- _herm_. Big bro in the kitchen. Do you mind?" 

"Mind? No." With the cheeky response, he gives Phil a third peck on the lips before tenderly stroking his face with his calloused fingertips. "That fill your quota for the morning, babe?" 

"For now. Steve, this is Liam. Liam this is Steve, my boyfriend and don't you dare pull any of the crap you did to scare off the last three I attempted to bring home." Steve shook hands with his burly brother, not even wincing as they tightened grips. Liam let go first as Steve grins. 

"I grew up with fire-fighters; yours didn't even phase me. Breakfast?" 

"I like this one, Phillip. Keep him."

"Argh! Phil, not Phillip, you monumental idiot. Only Mom's allowed to pull the full-name card!" he huffs as Steve massages his shoulders before encircling him in his arms. "You're really good at diffusing arguments."

"Tony was a bastard when we met and even Rhodey couldn't keep up with his sarcasm. So... I invented ways to throw him off that turned into proper techniques before he met Loki and Bruce." Steve pointed out dryly. "Plus all of the arguements between Thor and Loki that were all in Danish. How else do you think I learned it so fast?" 

"... Right. You know, I think I picked it up that way too. Then there was Russian with Tasha because she was always cursing Clint out." 

"Funny how you learn the insults first."  

"It's like you two don't even know we exist with the way you talk..." Liam rolls his eyes as he throws bacon at Phil. 

"Hey. No wasting good bacon." he says as he shakes it at his brother, biting off the end to prove his point. 

"Okay, okay. You've made your point, as it were. You happy?"

"Happiest I've been in ages." 

"Good. You want your boy-toy to meet the department?"

"Steve's not a boy-toy and that's up to him." 

"I'd love to see more of where you grew up." That cinched the deal in Liam's mind as his brother went back to eating. 

Duluth was no different from the last time he'd left save for the fact that he had Steve here with him. Clint and Tasha had arrived a few hours before by plane (because Phil's Mom didn't like them and refused to let Phil take one either) and they were meeting them at King's diner. What he got instead was...

"All of you in my hometown? Oh boy. Do your parents know where you even are?" he scolds the group before throwing up his hands in defeat. 

"You know this rowdy bunch?" Kingston asked as he brought out the house special for big groups. 

"...Yes, I do. I wish I didn't sometimes but they're good people. Tony, I swear if you mess with the antique jukebox I'll tell Baby." The genius lets go of the jukebox so fast that Kings blinks. "She's not here, is she?"

"She is. We took my private plane and shipped Baby in the cargo hold." 

"Parked out back. Of course. Steve, help me before I kill the lot of them." His boyfriend (it hadn't even been a week but it felt like forever) chuckled softly as he ushered him into the booth across from their friends and were joined by Tasha and Clint. 

"This wasn't my idea. Stark just pushed us onto his jet and insisted. You know how he is." 

"Mmm-hmm. You also didn't have to pay for plane tickets because Tony really is annoyingly generous." 

"Hey, I'm working on the genius billionaire playboy philanthropist thing. I think I can cut out the third one though. That's been taken care of by my lovely ego boosters." Tony preened under the attention Loki and Bruce showed him as they fed him food. "See?"

"Only you, Tony, only you." As surprised as he was, Phil was also grateful that Tony was so insistent. He had his friends, he had Steve and the summer lying ahead with adventures that would always remain. 

**Author's Note:**

> This thing just crashed over my Muses like an avalanche. I'm not even kidding! Life without music would be a mistake; never have truer words been spoken. Almost all of my fics have been inspired by a song or several. I love getting inspired though. You guys have been great to me so far. I'm back on my Avengers kick though so that's all you're getting out of me for now, it seems. 
> 
> *gasps* Hetero from me?! Either I'm losing my touch or I'm expanding my style again. They never did give the name of that cellist they mentioned in Avengers, did they? And if they did, I'm really sorry that I named her something different. Yes she's technically a Marvel Cinematic character but I added background info. 
> 
> This was supposed to be out _ages_ ago and I apologize if someone is looking for the BlackStorm currently in writing! 
> 
> *Russian for big boy  
> *Danish for my beloved  
> *Russian for my hawk  
> *Gaelic for I'm at the usual place. Yes, I told him. I'm meeting his Mother right now. You just got off shift at the hospital. Sleep and I'll tell you later. I love you too, Mom. Bye.


End file.
